Text 6920, 64 rader
Skriven 2008-07-01 01:37:13 av Richard Webb (1:116/901.0)
   Kommentar till text 6916 av Bob Klahn (1:124/311)
Ärende: The Black Experience
============================
HI BOb,

Bob Klahn wrote in a message to Richard Webb:

 RW> The whole thing was a comedy of errors, from the low speed
 RW> chase to the trial. WAtched the trial almost entirely on
 RW> CNN. "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit," etc.

 RW> Had I been sitting on that jury I couldn't have said the
 RW> prosecution proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

BK>  I could have.

Looked that way to me at times, but there's that "beyond a reasonable doubt"
standard. tHink I alluded to my "reasonable doubts" in another msg in this
echo.

BK>  Remember, you are not supposed to pre-judge the case, and you  are
BK> supposed to judge based on the facts presented. You are not 
BK> required to forget everything you know when you walk into the  jury
BK> room.


tHis is true, and I still would have had doubts.

BK>  Fong was the defense DNA expert wasn't he? He gave opinion, not 
BK> facts. Cochran gave opinion, not facts about the hat. Even the 
BK> bloody glove theory was opinion, not fact. That the glove had to 
BK> fit or you had to aquit was opinion, not law.

Again agreed.  HOwever, there's always more than one possible path to
irrefutable "facts" such as how the dna got there in the first place.

 RW> When it started, I had no preconceived notion of O.J.'s
 RW> guilt or innocence.  I expected the trial to tell me that,
 RW> just as I would have were I seated in that jury box. The
 RW> prosecution didn't do its job.

BK>  That is true. However, a juror who knew a little science, and 
BK> applied a bit of logic, could interpret the facts in light of  his
BK> knowledge.

True enough, but it was some of my knowledge of science and common sense that
left the door opened to reasonable doubt in my mind.  All I know is I"m glad I
didn't have to sit on that jury and cast my vote along with the other eleven
jury members. I"ve served on two juries, and I take the responsibility very
serious.

 RW> YEp, putting the racist cop on the stand for one.  sOme of
 RW> the so-called expert testimony didn't help them as much as
 RW> they hoped either imho.

BK>  I don't recall it ever being shown that the facts Furhman
BK>  testfied to were not legit. I do believe the prosecution should 
BK> have won dispite Furhman.

PRobably so, but again, as an actual juror I would have had a hard time.  THere
were things that opened that door to reasonable doubt in my mind.  I would have
found it a most vexing case.

Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Radio REscue net operations BBS       (1:116/901)